It was the most memorable meal of my life. My son Daniel’s eyes lit up as the Disneyland chef presented him with a plate piled high with allergen-free Mickey Mouse waffles. Like icing on a very special cake, the stack was dolloped with dairy-free whipped cream and served with a tall glass of rice milk. Daniel was in heaven, a 3-year-old out enjoying …

It’s not easy to hand over food allergy management to your moody, eye-rolling teenager. Here’s some crucial advice for the transition. My mind raced when I spied white residue on the living room coffee table where our teenager plays video games. Were my food allergy concerns about to be trumped by substance abuse? Bracing for the worst, I picked up a crumpled brown bag …

May 5, 2015 – It was the food allergy law that became famous across North America, and the hope born from tragedy. Ten years ago this month – May 16, 2005 – a legislative bill to accommodate students at risk of anaphylaxis in their schools in the province of Ontario was put to a final …

Birthday cupcakes, pizza parties, candy rewards and holiday celebrations. Not a week goes by without some kind of edible treat in the classroom. For some, the solution is the “safe snack box”, a stash of safe snacks that parents of an allergic child will provide for times when unsafe food is served in the classroom. I’ve never been a fan. At my house, if we have …

Emotional wounds heal like physical ones when given the proper time and attention. That candy made my mouth feel funny,” said my then 6-year old, Daniel. With a look of worry, he handed me the wrapper from a mini package of chewy candies. The next 15 minutes were a blur as I injected him with epinephrine and we sped to the emergency …

When the focus turns to one child’s celiac diagnosis, brothers and sisters can suffer feelings of neglect. Your child needs support. I’m not talking about the one who has celiac disease. I’m referring to the other child, the one who doesn’t have to worry about gluten. I recently spoke with my friend Dr. Ritu Verma, a pediatric gastroenterologist at our …

A settlement quietly reached between Lesley University in Massachusetts and the Department of Justice in December 2012 was big news, with monumental implications. The agreement has laid the foundation for establishing the rights of Americans with food allergy and celiac disease. Here’s how the settlement came about. A number of students initiated a lawsuit against …

This website is based on journalist reporting. The information it contains is meant as general guidance and is not to be interpreted as diagnosis and treatment of individual patient conditions. For such specific medical advice, visit an allergist or pulmonologist.